The Emma Smith Adventures Series 7
by CeriseHood5050
Summary: Article 0 will come into force. Emma and her family will have to flee the UK. Now, her fiancée is coming for Emma; she has a way out. Luckily, the Doctor knows when her family is in danger.
1. The Waiting Game

After the scare Article 0 gave me, it's a struggle to get back into routine and not hate the adult authority that is the government. Seriously, why would I vote for a government that wants to kick hybrids out? According to Jessie, Article 0 will come back to bite us on the bum in 2018.

Oh, well. I won't worry about it now. When the time comes, I'll fight back. It's now a waiting game.

Waiting Game sounds like it should be fun. It's not. We're sitting around, waiting for the next big thing to happen. The only exciting thing was a pyramid that suddenly appeared; only no one knows what happened to it afterwards. It suddenly disappeared. Seriously, no one knows about it.

Now, we're waiting for the government to respond. What will they do now? Who will be in power? Will they try to bring back Article 0 and try to bend me to their will? There is no way I'll do that. I will never bow down to the government or any other adult authority who will tell me whether I can live, die, or where I have to live. If it comes to it, I will fight.

"Anything?" I ask when entering the Ealing building.  
"We've got some bad news," Rani says. "Your grandparents, Eddie and Barbara, they were rammed into by a lorry. Both of them died in hospital a few minutes ago." I sit down, trying to work out what to do next. "To make it worse, one of the Human Party deliberately did it. They made a statement to the police."  
"Does Mummy know?"  
"We told her just before you got here. Listen, Emma, if you want to talk, we'll be here." I nod, heading to target practice.

In a fit of anger, I grab a gun, firing it at the targets repeatedly. How dare they?! What makes them think that they are above the law?! I continue firing until I run out of energy. "Emma?" Mum asks.  
"They were under my protection; they were part of Child's Torchwood!"  
"You can't protect everyone. You're doing a good job so far, don't let everyone else down. It's okay to cry, you know?"  
"I know. We've got two years before Article 0 comes into force. Now would be the perfect time for me to start organising everything, who I will leave in charge, lead the evacuation, especially since I won't be here after December this year. Do you think this is a good idea?"  
"Did Jessie tell you that?" I nod. "I think it's a brilliant idea. I'll help since it will involve all of us."  
"Shouldn't you be… you know…?"  
"Hey, I didn't know Eddie and Barbara particularly well. For Sarah, though, it's like she lost her parents all over again."  
"Do you think it will work for her to focus on something?"  
"I'll ask." Mum texts Mummy. "She says yes, and she's coming over."

When Mummy turns up, I'm in my office. Even from where I am, I can tell she was crying. Mum walks over to her, talks to her before the two of them enter my office. "I was sitting with Mum and Dad," Mummy explains. "Is there something you want us to work on?"  
"Jessie warned me that by the end of January 2019, Article 0 will come into law. It will illegalise marriage, and civil union between an alien and a human, and hybrids can't be conceived in the UK."  
"Sorry, excuse me," Jessie hurries in. "They will reopen the Tower of London for prisoners, mostly those with a low status. Those that have a very high rank will be housed in Hampton Court. The government will also legalise public executions again for hybrids, aliens and humans that fell in love with aliens. It's worse. They're moving it forward, to July 2018."  
"Shoot," I growl.  
"I know."

"We lead the evacuation NOW." I turn to my parents. "We'll get you logged into Child's Torchwood so you can send out emails alerting everyone about what is going on. There are hundreds, maybe even thousands of hybrids in England alone. We have to get them all moved. Jessie-"  
"Contact our allies from the 456 crisis and tell them we need support?" I nod. "Doing that now." Jessie leaves the room. The three of us watch her go into the main area.  
"What are you going to do, Emma?" Mummy asks.  
"I need to decide who will take over from those that are leaving. For those that have hybrids as their leaders will ask their second-in-command. Problem is in my case, my second-in-command is Luke. I'll need to talk to Maria, Clyde and Rani before making a decision." I glance out of the window. "After Christmas, I won't be back in the UK. Everyone will have to get used to that."

As I look through everyone who can take my place, I call Maria, Clyde and Rani in. "They're moving Article 0 forward to July next year. We'll never be able to come back."  
"Then I'm coming with you," Maria says. "I love Luke, I can't leave him."  
"You'll have to discuss that with your father."  
"I want to come," Rani says. Clyde nods.  
"Discuss it with your parents first before you make a decision," I say. They nod before leaving. Now I have to make a proper decision. Who can take my place?

Andrew Williams and George Smith- they work brilliantly together. I ask them to come to my office as soon as possible and ask them whether they want the job. "As I found it stressful handling the situation after the 456 incident, I felt that this is at least a two-person job. Do you two want to do it together?" They agree, and I decide to announce it sooner rather than later. "When choosing a second-in-command, you need to make sure that they are up to the task. Don't just pick someone because they are your friend, they need to be capable for the challenge."

When I finish talking to them about the duties needed to perform as a leader of Child's Torchwood, I head to target practice, where, to my surprise, I find Mum and Mummy are there. "What are you two doing in here?"  
"We want to fight," Mummy says. "If the government is forcing you to leave the UK, then we should fight when the time comes. This is my home too, and if they are kicking me out for loving an alien, then I'll fight for my freedom." I smile sadly.  
"If we stay, we will all die, Jessie said that. The government might imprison us, I don't know what will happen if you fight back as I won't be here. If you decide to fight, I might not be there to get you out." I end up leaving the room with my parents, hoping that whatever the future holds, we will all be safe from the government.


	2. Summer

Next year, Article 0 will be enforced.

I can't stop it. Jessie told me that. I can't prevent it, I won't be on the planet! There's nothing I can do to stop it now.

When I glance outside my window after another long day at Child's Torchwood, Rani says that she'll organise a party for me at the beginning of December. "We're all going off on new adventures, and, likely, we won't return, so it might be the best time to throw a party." I nod, thinking about everything that is changing.

When I get home, the TARDIS is standing in the driveway. "Emma, isn't it?" The first doctor asks, stepping out of it.  
"That's right," I nod.  
"I was hoping to see you. When is this?"  
"Summer of 2017. Your last self said that Twelve will pick me up in December."  
"How are things going?"  
"Okay. It's hard, moving away from Earth, but I'm excited for the new adventures I'll have with you."  
"That's good. What about your children? How are they doing?"

"Jessie and Alistair are worried about Article 0. It will ban aliens and alien hybrids from entering the UK on pain of death, and it will become law this time next year."  
"So I've heard. What are you going to do now?"  
"I don't know. I don't let this on to my children, because I don't know what will happen to them." The Doctor lets me sit in his TARDIS for a while. "I've done everything I can, and the worst thing is, I haven't helped my family or friends yet! They and you are the reasons I keep going forward. Without you all, I wouldn't know where I would be. I want to do something to thank them, even if it's only getting them to safety."  
"I can understand why you're concerned, young lady. You don't have to worry about them, a version of me will take care of their safety, don't worry."  
"Thank you, Doctor."

"I know you are my fiancée, and so I hope that I can share some private information with you."  
"You can trust me, Doctor. I won't tell anyone."  
"This is what I feel in my current regeneration, so I don't know if it will be the same in the future. Let me ask one of my future selves." He picks the phone up. "Hello? This is the first Doctor. I wish to confirm if I still feel-" He pauses for some time as the person on the other end speaks to him. He turns to me, beckoning me to come. I take the phone from him.

"Doctor?"  
"Hello, Emma," Ten says. "One was going to say that at the moment, he does feel he wants to be friends with you, but doesn't love you as in, boyfriend, girlfriend, you know?"  
"Yeah. One looks old enough to be my grandfather."  
"At that point, I was old enough to be your grandfather twice over. Now… Good Lord, I'd rather not go there. Do you mind if we don't go there?"  
"Not at all," I smile.  
"Now, you get out there and protect those you can."  
"I certainly will, Doctor." I hand the phone to One and leave the TARDIS after saying goodbye to him.

"Mr Smith, I need you!" I call, entering the attic.  
"Hello, Emma," Mr Smith says. "How are you today?"  
"Fine, thanks. Mr Smith, do you know of anyone who will take my family off the planet in case I'm not there to help them?"  
"I'll research into it now."  
"Thanks," I head over to my desk.

"Hello," Mummy calls. "You okay, Emma?"  
"I don't know how to get you, the rest of my family or my friends off the planet." I sob. "It's unlikely I'll be there, so I thought I'd ask Mr Smith if he can put anything in place."  
"Don't talk like that, Emma. If push comes to shove, we'll call the Doctor and ask them to pick us up. There's nothing to worry about. We'll be fine, I promise. Now, you need to promise to look after yourself."  
"I'm not leaving for a few months, Mummy!"  
"Please, Emma, promise me!"  
"I promise I'll stay as safe as I can."  
"Thank you."


	3. Autumn

The trees are turning colour. This is the last time I'll see them in 2017. I can't come back to the UK once I leave. All of the aliens and hybrids are fleeing to safety. They aren't waiting to stick around. They don't dare to. The hybrids say my family is crazy for staying. We're not mad, we're hopeful. My family hope that if they remain until the last day, the government might change their mind. Sadly, that frame of mind won't break the government. You've got to admire them for their determination.

Coldness is setting in. I might not shiver for much longer. By the end of December, I won't even be here. I'll be exploring the universe, all of time and space? Where shall I start? Who shall I meet? It's all an unknown. I usually hate the unknown, but my parents and fiancée make it easier. The unknown is guaranteed at the moment. What is going on in the government? They are silent about Article 0 right now. The Human Party must be coming up with something to kick us out.

I could be wrong. I'd love to be crazy in this instance. Jessie hasn't said anything. Maybe no news is bad news if she can't see the government changing their minds. We'll never come back home.

Hurrying through Cheswick, pulling my coat closer around my body against the November wind, I marvel about how humans can change their minds so quickly, block out anything they don't like. Reaching the warehouse, I let myself in and hurry into the shooting range, like I do each morning. Firing guns usually calm me, but today, it agitates me. Why am I not fighting back?

**Because you won't be here to sort the mess out, **a little voice says. **When it concerns you, you help. When it doesn't, you become passive. **I know this isn't true. I remember the 456 crisis. Besides, I haven't been passive. In fact, I've helped people. I'm getting them out of the UK alive. Now, the aliens and hybrids living in the UK are in single figures. Before the evacuation, it was hundreds. They all got away because I alerted them. See, I wasn't passive. **You can do more.**

I ignore the voice, there can't be more that I can do. If there were, I would've done it. I can't think of anything more I can do. "You always come down here," Maria says. "Why?"  
"I thought shooting will calm me down, not in this instance." I put the guns down.  
"Do you need to go earlier? If so, I can talk to your parents about it."  
"Nah, I'm good."  
"But if it will help-"  
"I SAID I'M FINE!" Maria flinches but doesn't move away.

"Emma, I'm going to say this, okay? I think you need help. The stress of Article 0 is clearly affecting you, and we should be helping you get rid of that stress."  
"But there's nothing more I can do, that's the problem."  
"I think the problem is that you're overthinking things. You've come into Child's Torchwood every day, even when you've been sick. Take a couple of days off, spend time with your children. You dropped out of school, so there's no going back to that, same with your kids. They want to spend quality time with you before you leave."  
"You know what? I think you're right. Thanks for suggesting it."

I head outside, feeling the wind in my hair, watching the snow fall from the sky, the first time I've seen snow in years. I walk back, enjoying the scenery. When I get home, I find a note from my parents saying they have taken my kids to the park. When I get there, I find Maria, Clyde, Rani and their parents are also there. "Hi," I smile.  
"Hey, last autumn in the UK!" Clyde says. "We better make the most of it."  
"This is my last full month here. I may as well make the most of it."  
"Your last month?" Mummy asks, confused.  
"When I was at Farrington, the Doctor said that their second-to-last regeneration will pick me up in December. He just didn't say when in December."  
"We better make the most of our time, then."

We begin making a snowman, throwing snowballs at each other when things start to dull down. We are laughing, joking around. For once, everything is excellent. Or, it is excellent until we go for a snow war.

We begin firing snowballs at each other, taking sides. It's adults against Child's Torchwood, and the adults are outnumbered. "Looks like you need a little backup," three says, joining them. Doctors One through Eight join the adults along with most of their companions. The only one that unites us is Ace. She joins Child's Torchwood and gives us a strategy.  
"If we use the trees as cover rather than standing out here, we'll be better protected."  
"Why did you join us?" I ask the teenager.  
"I'm part of Child's Torchwood, so it only seems right. Besides, I've yet to win something against the Professor." We all look at her. "It's what I call the Doctor. Sure, he told me to call him the Doctor, but, like you, Emma, I rebel against adult authority."  
"I rebel against **most** adult authority, not all." I look at the adults. "We're seriously outnumbered. We can do with some help right now."

"You called?" Martha asks. Nine, Ten, Eleven and Twelve arrive along with their companions. We form a group to try and fight the adults off. We hide behind different trees so the snowballs can't hit us.  
"Sorry I'm late," a familiar voice says. I turn to find Thirteen with three of her companions.  
"Doctor!" I pull her into a hug.  
"Hey, great to see you. These are my friends, Ryan, Graham and Yaz."  
"We came to help," Graham says. "What's the trouble?"  
"We're losing a snowball fight."  
"Why did it have to be a snowball fight?" Ryan asks.

A couple of hours later, we are all soaked and head back home. Thirteen and her companions were the first to go, and soon only Twelve was left. "Twenty-fourth," he says.  
"What about it?" I ask.  
"That's when we'll travel together."  
"Christmas Eve? Are you kidding?"  
"I regenerate the next day, as far as I know. I'll see you then," the Doctor stands to leave. I grab his jacket.  
"You can't just say something like that and leave."  
"I know, Emma. I'm-"

"Can we be there?" Jessie asks.  
"Be where?"  
"Be there when you regenerate." This stumps the Doctor for a few moments.

Lucy opens her mouth, then closes it. "Lucy?" I ask. "Are you all right?" She pulls her gun out. We all step back.  
"Lucy?" The Doctor asks. "Are you okay?"  
"I'm funny," Lucy says.  
"Funny how?"  
"So funny." Lucy aims her gun at herself, lets go of the trigger.

"NO!" I scream as my daughter disintegrates into atoms.

"Maybe it's best if Mummy leaves sooner rather than later," Sky considers when the Doctor leaves. "We're all going to have to deal with this one way or another, and maybe travelling could do you some good."  
"Maybe," I consider. "This is the third time Lucy died."  
"Can I say something regarding your daughter?" Mr Smith asks.  
"Go ahead."  
"While Lucy did experience a backlash at the Blessing, she still had the Trickster's DNA inside her. Before Lucy died today, I found that not only was the Trickster trying to break through, but the Sister of Blood was trying to inhabit her body. Lucy sacrificed herself to save the world."

Later, I'm in my room. I'm in bed, writing. When I get to Lucy's death, I blink back the tears. Her story must be told.  
"Mummy?" Sky asks. She, Jessie and Alistair are crowded around the door. I look up at them. "Can we sleep with you tonight?"  
"Of course you can," I smile. "I think we can all use the company." They run off, returning with their bedsheets. I close my diary.

I need to make the most of the time I have here. Lucy's indeed gone, but I can't dwell on that. She's died before, there is still a slight chance that she can come back.

That night, I feel like I'm not me anymore. Maybe I'm not. Who knows? Perhaps it's time for me to go. Where can I go?

Somewhere safe. Somewhere as safe as I can get. Even if it's only in a dream.

I'm in Thirteen's TARDIS, listening to what the TARDIS is saying. Sure, I can't understand it, but I like to think I can. The Doctor walks through, smiling. "Hey, Emma," she says. "Everything will be all right now."  
"Do you promise?"  
"I promise you'll be the only one from now on."  
"You mentioned River Song before. What about her?"  
"She died when we first met, but our timelines were out of sync. As such, every time we met in her timeline, she knew me more, and I knew her less. She's fine now, I saved her into this system thing, so she's sort of alive."  
"Do you think she could come back?"  
"Don't know, maybe. Let's not dwell on that. You have some organising to do, the bride-to-be."

"I've never even been to a wedding. Sure, there was Mum and Mummy's civil union, but it's not the same. I thought Gita could do the flowers, but Article 0 is making that look unlikely."  
"The Chandras, Langers and Jacksons leave with your family," the Doctor says. "I'm sure Gita will be honoured to do your flowers once she's settled down and has a shop."

I stay with the Doctor all night, talking to her about all sorts of things. Even if I'm dreaming, I'm glad to have someone to talk to.

When I wake, my children aren't with me. I walk downstairs, putting my dressing gown and slippers on. "Morning," Mum smiles. She and Mummy are sitting at the kitchen table. "Your kids had some stuff to do, so they headed out earlier."  
"Okay," I sit with them. Mummy nods to the pile of letters on the kitchen table.  
"They all arrived for you this morning. I don't know what the messages are, but they seem pretty important."

I thank my parents and take the letters up to my room so I can read them in peace. I recognise the handwriting of the first letter, and my heart begins beating a little faster. Surely it can't be…

_Dear Emma, _

No, it's not Katheryn. I look at the bottom of the letter. It's from the Doctor!

_I know I'm not the one to send letters, but I had to. Mary Seymour was our daughter. She was never the daughter of Catherine Parr. She was our daughter. The vampire hunters will kill her unless you do something now. _

She gives me some coordinates, and I ask Mr Smith where they are.

"The coordinates you're asking about lead to Sudeley Castle, where Mary Seymour was born. More particularly, it indicates the chapel."  
"When is the earliest I can get there?"  
"Ten in the morning tomorrow." I pack a bag. As I head downstairs, Mum stops me.

"Where are you going?"  
"Nowhere."  
"You've packed a bag, I don't think it's nowhere. Do you want me to tell Sarah that you're sneaking out?"

"I'm going to find Mary. The Doctor sent me a letter saying we were mistaken." I hand the letter over.  
"If this is correct, Mary could be in trouble. I'll get you over there, come on." We run out to Mum's car when Mum explains to Mummy what's going on.

Upon arrival, I don't know what to expect. When I last saw Mary, she was a baby! How much has she changed? She might be a toddler, a young child. I don't know. Mum teleports us into the chapel. "Mary?" I ask. "Are you here?"  
"Mummy?" A little girl's voice says. "Mummy, I'm scared."  
"Where are you, Mary? I'll find you."  
"I'm behind the tomb." I spot Catherine Parr's tomb and find Mary sitting behind it.

"What's the matter?" I sit beside her.  
"Nathan thought he was protecting me by bringing me to the Vampire Hunters. They're not even that!"  
"What are they?"  
"They waited for me to come of age, then they'll sacrifice me. That's tomorrow night."  
"We're getting you out of here, right now." I pick Mary up. "Mum, we'd better get out of here!" Mum teleports us into the car, and I strap Mary into the car seat. "You might have to teleport the car back. Can you do that?" Mum nods, and she presses the button on her bracelet. I get Mary out of the car, and we approach the front door.

"I didn't expect you to be back so soon," Mummy says when we arrive. Mum explains what happened and that they have to protect Mary when I leave. "Are you sure that Mary is your biological daughter, Emma?"  
"That's what the Doctor said in her letter." I go with Mary up to Jessie, Alistair and Sky's room. The children are already there and take Mary and look after her. I watch them for a while, smiling. Sky locates a book, and they sit in a circle as Sky helps Mary read it. She's taking the role as big sister brilliantly.

"It looks like everything is fine up there," I smile as I walk into the attic. "Sky's brilliant at being a big sister. She was helping Mary to read."  
"That's amazing," Mum smiles. "What about the rest of your letters?"  
"I haven't looked through them yet, so I'll do that now."

When I get to my room, I begin sorting through the other letters I have. Some of them are spam, so I put those in the bin. I put the critical ones to one side so I can sort through them. Most of them are about people who are recently caught by Child's Torchwood, so I have the final say as to whether they can walk free or not. Families are demanding for their releases, and I notice that we have a couple of politicians in our clutches. Hmm… maybe…

No. I will not do that. I will not use people to further my cause. If they are innocent, they will wander free. It's time that I begin taking this last month seriously. After this, I'm going on a long break.

Of course, I can't focus much. I move away from my desk, so I can think properly. "Everything will be fine," I tell myself. "Once I leave, I'll be fine." Not long after that, I pass out.

"Emma?" Maria asks. "Emma, can you hear me?"  
"Is she going to be okay?" Luke asks, worried.  
"Don't crowd around her, Emma needs space," Mum says.  
"Urgh," I groan. "What happened?"  
"You were overworking yourself again. Emma, you need to take some time off."  
"I will soon."  
"That isn't soon enough," Maria says. "We'll send word to Child's Torchwood that you're overworked and need some time off, no buts." Mum and Mummy help me into bed while Luke encourages everyone to leave the room.

"We want to help you," Mummy says. "If there's anything that's bothering you, you can tell us." I nod, a little shaky. "You need to get some rest. I'll bring up some soup when you wake up."


	4. December

Sunlight sparkle through the frosted leaves as I walk through town. Christmas lights are sparkling in the shop windows as I search for the perfect gifts for my family and friends. As I'll leave on Christmas Eve, I'll want them to open their presents before I go.

Christmas Eve draws closer, and I have everyone's presents ready except for the Doctor's. What can I get for a Time Lord? I look everywhere, but I can't find anything. Eventually, I decide to make something. I go to Alistair for help. He's the expert on the Doctor since he can read minds. "I think all the Doctor wants is to spend quality time with you," he says. "He- she- will get that soon."  
"I still want to get him- her- something."  
"It's difficult when buying for a Time Lord."  
"Yeah. Well, I'll make something for the Doctor for a change. Luke's pretty good at technology, isn't he?"  
"So's Sky- if you want to blow things up."  
"I've been improving!" Sky says from where she's sitting. "I don't always blow everything up. It's when I'm angry, and that's rare."  
"I know, little sis." Alistair pulls Sky into a hug as Mary and Jessie walk in, smiles on their faces. My heart lifts a little when I see the four of them happy, but it still hurts. I recently lost Lucy again.

Lucy wouldn't want me to grieve. She'll tell me to pick myself up and look after her siblings so that I will do that. I watch my children for a while before taking my leave.

**CHRISTMAS EVE**

I wake a little worried. What if the Doctor doesn't turn up? If he doesn't, I won't worry. I'll be able to spend Christmas Day with my family. My children run through, saying good morning. Luke pulls me into a hug. I tell them to let me get dressed, and I'll be downstairs soon. As I shut the door, the TARDIS parks in my bedroom. "At least you weren't getting ready," the Doctor pokes his head out. "I would have been so embarrassed!"  
"Go and find the kids, I'll be down soon." I pick out my clothes for the day and pack my bags, selecting what I want to take with me.

When I feel refreshed, I head downstairs. Clyde, Rani and Maria are already there, which makes me smile. I feel like I did when during the final days before Luke and I were due to leave for university. I realise that although I love the Doctor, I don't want to leave my family.

But if I stay, pass up on this opportunity, who will I become? Besides, Article 0 is coming. I can fight against it if I want to. If I stay, I will. What would it mean if I stay?

I will have to win more fights with Parliament, run Child's Torchwood (which is sometimes fun), spend quality time with my kids and friends.

What if I go?

I spend quality time with my fiancée, travel throughout time and space.

Is it worth it? I know I love the Doctor. Other than for Child's Torchwood back in 2008, moving to Lightdale and being in Tudor England, I've not been separated from my parents recently. All of them were years ago. Will I be able to cope now?

When we hand out presents, when I see the children smiling, that's when I realise for the first time what I will leave behind. I don't want to leave my children, but I am anyway. The Doctor takes me into the kitchen."Why are you sad?"  
"How do you know?"  
"I can detect emotions, no matter how minute."  
"Really?"  
"No, it's obvious. Seriously, what's the matter? Are you not enjoying the celebrations? If not, we can go now."  
"It's not that, Doctor. I don't want to leave my children behind."

"Do you have a diary?"  
"Yes."  
"I know you have a fantastic memory, Emma. You can write everything down so you can tell them everything. The diary can also be available for future generations should they want to view them- all of the stuff they know about anyway. You don't have to reveal anything private." I nod, realising that if I want to travel with the Doctor, this is the best way. I will keep my diary with me, record everything.

That way, you, my dear reader, if you exist out there, you know what is coming. You know the threats we face, how to defeat them. I don't want you making the same mistakes I did.


	5. Twice Upon a Time

The Doctor agrees to take me on an adventure, even though he is regenerating. "You're an adult now, Emma," the white-haired Scotsman tells me. "You can make your own decisions."  
"He's right," Mummy agrees, nodding. "I think we should let you have some freedom." There is no way I can tell if my parents overheard our argument or not, they are brilliant at masking what they really feel.  
"You mean, I can go?"  
"If you want to," Mum agrees.  
"Go and get some things together, Emma." The Doctor tells me. "We might be gone for some time."  
"Sure." I run upstairs, gathering my belongings.

"We'll look after the kids while you're gone," Mummy smiles when we reach the TARDIS doors.  
"Now, don't forget to call us every now and again, or drop in for a cup of tea," Mum grins. "We'll always be glad to have you."  
"Thank you, Mum, Mummy," I pull them into a hug.  
"No, thank you, Emma," Mummy smiles, sadly. "Ever since Sandra and Beth were killed, we thought that we would never be parents again."  
"But then we had you and Luke," Mum adds. "You two gave us our lives back. You were what kept us going. Then Maria, Clyde, Rani and the twins, Sky and Lucy, then Mary, came along. We were never happier. So go, have fun. Remember us when you are off on adventures."  
"I will," I smile, hugging my parents one last time.

"Where are we off to?" I ask the Doctor once all of my belongings are in the TARDIS, and my parents are on the other side of the door.  
"How would you like to visit the South Pole?"  
"I'd love to," I agree, fishing my camera out. The Doctor gives me a confused look. "I'd want to be able to remember all of my adventures."  
"That's not why I am confused. Wouldn't it get in the way if we are fighting aliens?"  
"Luke modified it," I grin, opening it out. The Doctor smiles when the camera hovers in the air. "With Mr Smith's help, Luke was able to make the camera hover in the air. He gave it to me last year."  
"You have a kind, caring brother. Now, let's go." He pulls a lever down, and we head to the South Pole.

When the Doctor steps outside, the camera is recording. He begins to regenerate, but thrusts his hands in the snow, extinguishing it. He tells me that he doesn't want to change when we hear another man saying the same thing. "Hello?" I call. "Is someone there? Hello?"  
"Who is that?" The man asks.  
"I'm Emma Smith-White. This is the Doctor."  
"Oh, I don't think so. No, dear me, no. He may be A doctor, but I am THE Doctor. The original, you might say."  
"You!" The Doctor exclaims.  
"Doctor, what's going on?" I ask.  
"He's the original me before I ever regenerated," he explains. "So, I'm the thirteenth; he is the first."  
"Right, I've got to get that in my head."

"Who is this young lady? What is she wearing?"  
"I'm from the 21st century, thank you very much!" I exclaim.  
"The cheek!"  
"She's your future fiancée."  
"I get married to her?"  
"Yeah, I think so," the Doctor grins. Doctor one looks confused (I am calling the First Doctor Doctor one so that I can get everything straightened out in my head).  
"But how can it be you, Doctor?" I ask as the Doctor's grin slides away. The Doctor explains that Doctor one is in the middle of his regeneration, but he is trying to hold it back.  
"What do you know of regeneration?" Doctor one demands. "Are you a Time Lord?"  
"You know who I am. You must!"  
"Hm! Have you come to take the ship back?"  
"Definitely not!" I exclaim. "We were just travelling through." The Doctor explains that they are both in a state of grace, whatever that means. This isn't the first time that the Doctor has confused me. I stand off to the side, giving the two gentlemen some space to talk.

Suddenly, the snow stops. "Doctor, what's going on?"  
"I don't know, Emma." I turn back to them. The Doctor pushes a snowflake away, but it floats back into place. "Everything's stopped." I run over to them, worried.  
"But why?"  
"Maybe it's us. Maybe it's something else, but somehow, something has gone very wrong with time."  
"Hello?" A new male voice asks. We turn to find a soldier standing there, holding his gun. "Sorry. So sorry. I don't suppose either of you fine gentlemen is a doctor?"  
"You trying to be funny?" The Doctor asks. The soldier explains his story.

"War is always brutal," I agree. "They said it was the war to end all wars, only what happens a few decades later? World War Two."  
"World War Two?" The soldier asks, worried. A bright, white light appears behind the soldier.  
"She's coming!" He whispers, turning to us in fright. "She's coming! It's her." The two doctors approach her.  
"Not human, I think," Doctor one says. "State your planet of origin and your intention. This is Earth. A Level Five civilisation."  
"And it is protected," I add.  
"It's what?" The light extinguishes.  
"That doesn't usually work."  
"Protected by whom?"  
"Oh, it's early days, isn't it?" The Doctor asks. Doctor one turns to the soldier.

"May I suggest, for your safety, you step aboard my ship?" Doctor one unlocks the door to the Doctor's TARDIS.  
"What ship?" The soldier asks.  
"He's going to be so confused," I grin. The Doctor smiles back.  
"They both will be. Oh, he means, get inside the box."  
"A little snug from this angle," Doctor one adds. "But you might be in for a-" Doctor one opens the doors to find the Doctor's TARDIS. The Doctor and I laugh. "Do you two think this is funny?"  
"A bit," the Doctor laughs. "This one is my TARDIS. Yours is there," he brings up Doctor one's TARDIS on the screen.  
"It looks so old-fashioned!" I exclaim.  
"Well, in your time, there are no police boxes left except for mine."  
"That's why I know whenever we see a police box; it's bound to be you." The soldier asks if he is going mad. "Well, if you are, we're all mad," I tell him. "No, you're not mad. We're all sane." The two doctors get into an argument- it is clear Doctor one hasn't figured it out. The Doctor states that Doctor One will have a few false starts, but will become him in the end.  
"Don't call the other doctors false starts!" I exclaim. Doctor one says that older people and women can be put to use. Shaking with anger, I feel that I am going to blow.

"Emma, go in the quiet room so you can calm down," the Doctor commands.  
"You have a quiet room?" I ask.  
"Through there," the Doctor points. I nod and follow his directions until I reach the quiet room, a little way off from the main room. I didn't realise how Doctor one would act. Of course, he would have old-fashioned views about women. However, that doesn't give him the excuse to say things like that.

The TARDIS begins to shake, so I run into the console room. The Doctor is panicking as he can't start the engines. "You mean, we can't leave?" I ask as Doctor one hands me a feather duster. "And what am I meant to do with this?"  
"Clean up?" Doctor one suggests.  
"Excuse me? If you think I will tidy up just because I am the only woman on board, then you have another thing coming!" I throw the duster down in disgust.

"Exit your capsule," a female voice commands. "The Chamber of the Dead awaits you."  
"Emma and I will fix the engines while you keep her talking," the Doctor tells Doctor one. I nod happily. At least we'll lose him for a minute. When Doctor one closes the door behind him, I can still hear the voice. The Doctor runs out when the voice offers him to speak with one of his companions again.

"Emma Victoria Smith-White," the voice calls. "Exit the capsule." Slowly, I exit the TARDIS.  
"What do you want?" I ask.  
"Go back inside, young lady," Doctor one commands me.  
"I am not listening to your commands." The two doctors go to investigate who has been stealing the faces of the dead.  
"Emma," the voice tells me. "I know your pain and loss, but you can speak to her again."  
"I don't know who you are talking about," I snap.  
"Emma, don't get cross, please," the Doctor tells me.  
"I'm having a hard time controlling my temper."  
"Well, your friends aren't here, so I'd appreciate it if you can keep your temper in check for a few more minutes."

"Are you Emma Smith-White?" The woman beside me asks. I nod. "Bill Potts." She holds her hand out, and I shake it. "The Doctor told me so much about you. We met once, back in 2009."  
"Oh, yes, of course. The 456!"  
"Yes, you were truly an inspiration. I could hear your voice echoing as I travelled with the Doctor, and I kept on asking what you would do." I tell her that he is my fiancé, and she looks amazed. I tell her about the regenerations I have met, and I am about to go on to explain about the first time I met the Doctor when the Doctor talks about escaping. He says that he is taking all of us with him.  
"Do we have to take Mr Grumpy Pants?" I moan.  
"Emma, seriously?"  
"Yeah." Doctor one is still confused, so the thing- the Testimony, I think it is called- showed them their past. I point out to Bill the first Doctor I met, his second incarnation. They don't show his fourteenth- he hasn't reached her yet. The Doctor sonics the chains holding the TARDIS within the ship, before telling me to climb on his back.  
"ARE YOU JOKING?!"  
"JUST DO IT!" I climb upon him, and the Doctor jumps, followed by Doctor one, the Captain and Bill. The chains stop. I look down at the ground.

"We can jump down, come on." I let go and fall to the ground.  
"Emma, are you all right?" the Doctor asks.  
"I'm fine!" I call up. "Everyone, jump down!" They jump down and head to Doctor one's TARDIS.

I sit down. "No quiet room, unfortunately," the Doctor replies. "Emma, keep your temper in check."  
"I am trying," I growl. Doctor one tells Bill about the state of the Doctor's TARDIS. I growl at him. The Doctor tries to defuse the situation without much luck. Doctor one asks if all ladies are made of glass. I stand, hardly in control of my body. "WATCH OUT!" The Doctor yells, tackling me to the ground. "Emma, you can't keep doing this." I snap and growl, fighting my way out. "Emma, listen to me! Keep in control of yourself. I know you can do it."  
"What's happening to me?" I whisper.  
"Your hunger's growing stronger, so it's understandable why you are getting cross easily."  
"Mum said to not contain it."  
"She also said to not lash out at people." I shrug.  
"I don't remember her saying that." Doctor one says that he has some experience with the 'fairer sex' as he called women.  
"So have we," I add, nodding.  
"Good lord!" Doctor one exclaims.  
"And my parents," I add.  
"Seriously?" The Captain asks. I nod. The TARDIS stops, with the Doctor explaining that we are at the centre of the biggest database in the universe.

"Luke would love it here," I exclaim.  
"Who's Luke?" Doctor one asks.  
"My twin! Doctor, can you ask him to stop winding me up?" We head outside. The sky is a deep red, the ground feels like ashes. Balls of light illuminate the sky, the Doctor explained that the whole planet is a database.  
"Search anything you want, you will find it here." I smile.  
"How does it work?" The Doctor takes Bill and me back to the TARDIS, where Bill swears. The door opens.  
"If I hear any more language like that from you, young lady, you'll be in for a jolly good smacked bottom." Doctor one shuts the door. I giggle, the Doctor smiles. Bill asks the Doctor to come back alive, and the Doctor tells her to be there when he does. Bill re-enters the TARDIS. I walk back into the TARDIS as the Doctor promised my parents to keep me safe. I talk to the Captain and find out that his name is Archibald Lethbridge-Stewart. I tell him about the time I come from, without trying to give away any spoilers.

I realise that Bill is the Testimony and try to hit her over the head. "You are not Bill Potts. Get out of my sight." The Testimony leaves the TARDIS.

However, before it leaves, it tells me that the Doctor is thinking of not regenerating. "So, that's the end?" I ask. "I hoped it would never end, well, until today. What would the universe do without the Doctor?"

I end up in the Doctor's TARDIS, and he explains that the fact Doctor one and he tried to die at the same time at the same place, they were the error that meant that the Captain was put in the wrong place. I tell him that the Captain's surname is Lethbridge-Stewart. "That makes it even worse," the Doctor sighs. Archibald says that he told his wife that he'd be home for Christmas. I tell him that everything will be all right. We land in the battlefield in 1914, returning Archibald to his proper place in time and space.

It makes me think that he is such a lonely man without hope. Without hope, then no one can exist. Everyone is built on faith, the dream of the future, the promise of the present, the hope of the past. Every once in a while, when someone loses confidence, they stop being a person.

The Doctor helps Archibald back into the crater. He tells us that we have all been gracious in the unfortunate circumstances. The Testimony says that a perception filter will render us invisible. Before that happens, Archibald asks us to look in on his family. The Doctor agrees that Doctor one will drop in on them from time to time throughout his regenerations. Archibald believes that he is ready and gets back into position. Time resumes again.

Before either of the soldiers fire, singing fills the air. I stare in wonder, gasping. Christmas Day 1914, when the battlefield grows silent to the sound of guns and fills with singing as Britain and Germany momentarily surrender and join forces. I smile at what is happening. "It's a miracle to see it happening," I laugh. Soldiers climb out of the trenches on both sides, waving white flags in the air. The Doctor says that the universe generally fails to be a fairy tale, but that is where they come in.

Several hours later, as the soldiers are singing Auld Lang Syne, I shake hands with Doctor one, as does the Doctor. Doctor one says that he thinks he is ready, asking the Doctor if he is. The Doctor answers that he will find out the long way around. I chuckle. Doctor one wishes both of us good luck. As Doctor one walks away, we see Archibald and salute to him. Confused, Archibald salutes back. The Doctor pulls his coat around him as I help him inside.

"How's Lucy?" I give him my best withering look.  
"She died recently."  
"I'm sorry to hear that."  
"She was your daughter. Your other children needed you. I needed you."  
"Oh, right. I'm sorry, Emma. Did I overstep the mark?"  
"Nah, not yet. When you do, I'll probably blow up in your face."  
"Great, thanks." Bill turns up in the TARDIS, as does another of the Doctor's companions that I don't recognise. I turn away so that the Doctor can have a few moments in peace without me interfering. When they are gone, I turn back to him.  
"Right, let's get this right for the next Doctor, shall we?" He smiles. "Emma, have you got a pen and paper?" I pull it out of my bag. "Basic stuff first. Never be cruel, never be cowardly, and never, ever eat pears! Remember… hate is always foolish, and love is always wise. Always try to be nice, but never fail to be kind. Oh, and you mustn't tell anyone your name. No-one would understand it, anyway. Except…" The Doctor falls. I run over to help him up. "Except children, Emma included. If their hearts are in the right place, and the stars are, too. Children can hear your name. For Emma, when the wedding bells ring, when she walks down the aisle, she can hear your name then. But nobody else, ever. Laugh hard, run fast, be kind. Keep Emma safe. Doctor… I let you go." The Doctor throws his arms out as the regeneration begins. I turn away, crying out when the energy beams hit the TARDIS walls.

When I hear a jingle on the floor, I look back. A woman is standing in the Doctor's clothes- the Fourteenth Doctor. My Doctor. "Doctor?" I ask, concerned. She turns to me with her kind, hazel eyes. Her blonde hair reaches her jaw. Her clothes are still as ruined as they were when the Doctor picked me up, maybe even worse.  
"Emma?" The Doctor asks, confused. "Oh, my God! How do I look?"  
"You're a woman!"  
"Am I?" He- she- checks in the monitor. Her face displays shock. "Oh, brilliant!" She grins at me, and I smile back. She pulls me into a hug, pressing a button on the console — the TARDIS groans, knocking us to the floor. We grab the holes in the floor, trying to hold on.  
"Is it trying to kick us out?"  
"I hope not- we're thousands of miles off the ground."  
"I'm going to die!"  
"I won't let that happen. I'll protect you." The doors open as we try to get back up, holding onto the console. The console explodes, throwing us out.

I scream in terror as the TARDIS disappears. The Doctor grabs me, pulling me close. "Hold on tight, Emma!" Her body curls up around me. The ground rushes up to meet us.


	6. The Women Who Fell to Earth

As I don't want to see the ground rushing up to meet us, I cling onto my fiancée for dear life. Searching her new face, I try to remember her name, but nothing comes to me. "We'll be fine, Emma," she says. "I promised your parents I'd protect you." Glancing down at the ground, she smiles with relief. "Oh, brilliant!"  
"What is it?"  
"We'll be fine." We crash through the roof of a train. Upon standing, we notice six people at the back, staring at us. "What?" The woman points to something behind us. Grabbing a cable, my fiancée pushes it into the creature behind us. "That should buy us a couple of seconds." Our companions glance at the roof.  
"Long story, we'll explain later," I say. "Doors?"  
"Locked shut," the woman replies.  
"We'll see about that," one of the teenagers has electricity crackling around her hands. She holds them up to reveal…

"SKY!" My fiancée and I pull Sky, Jessie and Alistair into a hug.  
"I've got no sonic!" My fiancée cries, checking her pockets. "Empty pockets. I hate empty pockets!"  
"It's coming back!" One of the two men says. We turn to the thing with the tentacles.  
"What are you?" Sparks fly from the creature. "Okay, you don't like questions. More the private type, I get that." The thing passes over our heads as one of the two men panic as it advances.  
"Get away from me!"  
"All of you stay very still."  
"I can disable it," Sky offers.  
"It's going to kill us!"  
"No," Jessie says. "It won't harm you. As for the rest of us-"  
"It's Stenza technology," Sky interrupts. "We saw it the day it came for Ruby."

"Nan!" A new voice calls.  
"Ryan, stay away!"  
"Oh, my God!" A policewoman says. The piece of technology zaps something into us before disappearing into the night sky.  
"You three relax, but stay put," my fiancée says. "My children, fiancée and I will check the rest of the train." We turn to the newcomers. "Fat lot of use you two were."  
"Hey! Hold on there please, madam, I need you to do as I say. This could be a potential crime scene."

"Why are you calling me madam?"  
"Because you're a woman," Jessie says.  
"Am I? Does it suit me?" Our children nod.  
"Excuse me?" the policewoman asks. My fiancée says she was a white-haired Scotsman half an hour ago, and I back this up. She asks when the next train is due when Ryan says it's the last back.  
"But the doors were locked," I say. "How did you both get in?"  
"Driver's window was smashed in." My head feels like it's repeatedly smashing against a brick wall. My stomach hurts, clawing me with hunger. Thankfully, my fiancée notices.  
"As soon as I unlock the doors, I'll let you go."  
"I need your name first," the policewoman tells me.  
"Emma Smith-White."

"No way! I'm a big fan of your work!"  
"Me too," Ryan agrees.  
"I'd appreciate it when you two decide to do this when my fiancée doesn't need to hunt. What date is it?"  
"December 31st, 2017."  
"We've only been gone a few days." My fiancée sorts out the train before letting me out into the night.

I hunt a few small animals before spotting a bike in a tree. "Fancy seeing you here, Emma," my fiancée smiles. I chuckle, bounding up a tree. Grace, one of the Doctor's new friends, says we can meet at her place and gives me the address as I say I'll follow later.

Once I finish hunting, I approach Grace's house. I ring the doorbell, and Grace answers it, letting me in as my fiancée explains about the DNA bombs the creature implanted us with. She borrows Ryan's phone, reformatting it so that she can track the alien. My fiancée aims the phone at herself. Electric sparks almost hit her, and my fiancée cries out as she hits the floor. "That nap did me a world of good. Very comfy sofa! Right, let's get a shift on."

Grace drives us to a series of warehouses. "We're close," the Doctor says.  
"We found the Stenza warrior," Sky says. Alistair nods.  
"Payback time," Jessie agrees.  
"No one is hurting anything yet until we know what is going on."  
"But Mum, it's the same Stenza warrior who took Ruby on Christmas Day," Alistair moans. "I can hear its thought." Part of a wall explodes, and a humanoid figure covered in armour faces us.

"Bingo! Oi! Oh, I was expecting a tentacle-y thing. Don't you move!" The figure marches away. We race after it but lose the Stenza warrior in the fog. Alistair accesses its thoughts, locating the alien.  
"In here!" Ryan calls. Racing inside, I spot a body. As the Doctor is talking to her new friends- at last, I remembered her name!- Ryan spots the thing he found in the woods. It looks like some sort of transport chamber, which the Doctor confirms. She realises she can build a sonic, remembering that she doesn't have hers.  
"Emma, you might want one too."  
"A screwdriver will be an upgrade from the blasted pen I have. It doesn't even work half of the time."

"You two don't look like aliens," Graham says.  
"You should've seen me a few hours back," the Doctor says. "My whole body changed. Every cell in my body burning. Some of them are still at it now- reordering, regenerating."  
"Sounds painful, love," Grace says. Jessie, Alistair and Sky move outside.  
"You've no idea. There's this moment when you're sure you're about to die and then… you're born. It's terrifying. Emma knows who I am, I can see it in her eyes. I forget my own name every ten seconds. Right now, I'm a stranger to myself. There are echoes of who I was and a sort of call towards who I am. I have to hold my nerve and trust these new instincts. I'll be fine, in the end. Hopefully. I have to be because you guys need help, Jessie, Alistair and Sky need their mother and Emma… well, you're just Emma, aren't you?"  
"Thanks for that."  
"No problem. If there's one thing I'm certain of, it's that when people need help, I never refuse. Right, this is going to be fun!" The Doctor pulls a plastic curtain between us and the outside world. I help the Doctor by gathering the materials needed as she makes the two sonics.

When she finishes her work, the Doctor hands me mine. Her sonic is silver. Mine is a metallic blue with a red light. I practice with it, delighted with the results and thank my fiancée. "You're my fiancée," the Doctor says, "I should be allowed to make you a sonic." When we emerge, Ryan says he found a load of stuff. Yaz opens a video file.

"It's come back," the dead man says. "The thing I saw the night my sister… everyone always says disappeared, but I know she was taken. Seven years now. Tracking energy signals-"  
"Mr White detected something when the thing was on the train and when we saw the Stenza warrior," Sky says. "Her name was Asha," she nods to the video. "We should ask about Ruby, too." The video ends.

"He must have known that what he was doing could kill him," Alistair says.  
"She was his family," the Doctor picks up a photo of Asha. We head into the main area so she can investigate the transport chamber. Sky places her hand on it, saying it started over 5,000 galaxies away due to the recall circuitry. "I would be proud for you, Jessie and Alistair to join us." I nod.  
"We're needed here. Nana's no longer herself now Ruby's gone. The last thing she needs is us disappearing too. She understands why Emma left."  
"Alistair, can we save this conversation for another time? I'm trying to concentrate."

When we find the tentacle-y thing, Sky disables it in a heartbeat. "At least my powers are useful." I pull my scanner out of my pocket and scan all of the information it collected while also implanting it with the DNA bombs. "It's a Gathering Coil."  
"The Stenza's close, I can hear its thoughts! It's definitely the same one that took Ruby." The Doctor checks my scanner as we look through the information.

"It's Karl from the train!" Graham says. Yes, I vaguely remember him.  
"Karl's the data like Ruby was. If we want to stop this, we have to find him."  
"Which one of you shall I kill first?" The alien asks. It stands on the roof in a full suit of armour.  
"I'm voting none of us," the Doctor steps forward. "Get behind me now. Stop right there! Come any further, and we'll blast whatever this thing is." The alien says that we're interfering in things we don't understand, and I say I get that a lot. The Doctor asks why the alien removes a tooth from the victims when the alien removes its helmet. Its face is covered in human teeth! He introduces himself as Tim Shaw, and I decide I had enough of him and his sick species. Tim is on a hunt and isn't meant to have assistance.  
"What a cheat!" I snarl when he's gone. My children are about to leave when the Doctor calls them back.  
"Whereas Tim is a cheat for using short-range teleport," I put the coordinates into my teleportation device, "it brings us to the head of the game." We all hold onto each other and teleport to where Karl is. Unfortunately, Tim arrived before us.

The Doctor tells Graham, Grace and our children to clear the site and do not return. She tells me to keep guard at the bottom while she takes Ryan and Yaz up a crane. I help my newfound friends clear the site due to significant power issues. When we look at the two cranes, we see the Gathering Coil at the bottom of the crane Ryan, Yaz and the Doctor are on. "Come on," Sky pulls us to a series of electrical plugs while Graham and Grace carry the equipment. Alistair will mentally distract Tim with Jessie also helping. Grace will climb up the crane.  
"What will I do?" I ask.  
"Mother us when it's over?" Sky suggests. Well, I was asking for it. She and Graham sort out the mess of wires as Jessie and Alistair distract Tim. Carefully, Grace climbs up the crane. Electrocuting the Gathering Coil, she cries out that it's working.

Grace is thrown from the crane. We let Graham go to her first before following. Sky turns her head towards me, as does Jessie and Alistair. This is the first time they had to see something like that, and I wish I could've shielded it from them. It's no use now. Grace O'Brien died to save someone.

_**A FEW WEEKS LATER**_

The Doctor and I are at the moors together. Jessie, Alistair and Sky are back at home. "It's where they need to be," I remind myself.  
"You can go home if you want."  
"I think if I went back it wouldn't be enough. I think this, us, travelling all of time and space, is enough." The Doctor places an arm around me. We're both still in the clothes we wore when we arrived, but we can't find anything else to wear.

Before Grace's funeral, I talk to Ryan. "What time did your dad say he'd get here?"  
"Two hours ago."  
"If he said he'd come-"  
"He says a lot of things. He's never been the best at being reliable. I mean, how can he not be here? She's his mum. She would've wanted him here. I want him here."  
"Emma and I are here for you, Ryan," the Doctor says.  
"What were you two doing at the moors?"  
"Contemplating whether Emma should go home, but we agreed that now isn't the best of times." Ryan nods. "Come on, we don't want to be late."

"Lots of you knew Grace longer than me," Graham begins. "So, I can't stand here and pretend to know everything about her." The Doctor and I stand at the back of the room, listening to his speech. "I wasn't her first husband, but she said I would do for a second attempt. I can only tell you about the Grace I met when I thought I didn't have much time left." I mull this over for the rest of the funeral, and it's only when we regroup at Graham's, just the five of us, that I get an answer to my question. My fiancée beats me to it. "I had cancer," Graham admits. "Well, strictly speaking, I'm still in remission. Three years have gone, and Grace was my chemo nurse. That's how we met and fell in love."

Yaz asks the Doctor if she has family, and other than my family, she lost them. That's when the Doctor remembers that we've lost the TARDIS, and we're about to look for it when Yaz stops us.  
"You two really need to get out of those clothes." Graham smiles. Ryan chuckles.  
"Yeah, I can see why you say that," I say.  
"It's been a while since I've brought women's clothes," the Doctor says. Ryan and Yaz accompany us to the charity shop. I let the Doctor choose first. Eventually, she chooses the outfit I'm familiar with; a blue t-shirt with rainbow stripes, blue trousers with yellow suspenders and a lilac trench coat. I forgot how much I miss that coat. Next, I go to fund some clothes and pick an outfit exactly like the Doctor's.

"That's what you're going with?" Yaz asks.  
"Yep," the Doctor says. "Got any cash? Empty pockets."  
"I'll pay you back as soon as possible," I say, but Yaz tells me not to worry about it.  
"I've also been thinking about my TARDIS. Do you think you can help us?" We soon find Graham and head back to the warehouse. Upon arrival, my fiancée detaches herself from the group and begins setting up equipment, and I help her when I can. She gets Ryan, Graham and Yaz to hold stuff while she's tinkering. After a while, Graham begins complaining.

"How long have we got to stand here for? I'm starting to get a cramp."  
"Seriously, Graham, we're trying to concentrate here! Emma's on a difficult bit, especially as seven of the 139 layers don't make sense. Well, that's Stenza technology for you." The Doctor gives me a few final instructions as I finish up.  
"Look at you three," I say. "We're going to miss you."  
"You'll come back when it's safe, right?" Yaz asks.  
"I'll come back, but I might not stay. Too much to do, you know how it is." The Doctor nods.

The machine begins beeping, telling us that everything is connected up. I hold the Doctor's hand. "This is it," she says. "Deep breath." Ryan inhales. "Not you lot, me and Emma." She sonics the machine and the warehouse disappears.

I close my lungs off when we enter deep space- but the Doctor and I aren't the only ones there.

Ryan, Graham and Yaz came with us.


	7. The Ghost Monument

The last thing I remember is entering deep space. Now, according to Graham, I'm on a spaceship. "My spaceship!" A voice corrects him. Standing before us is a woman with spikey blonde hair and brown eyes. The piolet says she scooped us, whatever that means. I ask her where my fiancée and Yaz are and that she should turn around to look for them. "My name is Emma Smith-White." She laughs at me. How dare she!

We land on the planet. "You could be a god for all I care. We're not going back." I feel rage pulsing through my veins, growing hotter and hotter as we descend to the planet below and trek across the desert. Soon, we are followed by another spaceship, driven by someone called Finskad. We turn, running away from the ship that's hurting towards us before it crashes.

Suddenly, the Doctor appears. "Sorry about the mess," she says as she and Yaz join us. A man- I'm guessing is Finskad- turns out he's called Epzo, far easier than Finskad- appears. The woman is called Angstrom.

An alarm begins blaring, and I ask what's going on, only not to receive a proper answer from either Epzo or Angstrom, but we follow them to a tent. I notice a piece of fabric on the ground. Bending down to sniff it, I fail to register the fact that everyone is walking into the tent. The material seems to be… alive? How can something non-sentient live? "Emma, come on," Ryan calls. I look up to find that the tent is gone, and Angstrom and Epzo are walking away. I pick up the fabric, running after them. I can analyse it later.

"My TARDIS is here, and- what have you got there"  
"This piece of fabric is alive, I could smell it. If I can run a few tests, I can work out what it is."  
"We'll have time when we reach the water. Let's get a shift on."  
"How can you smell that the fabric is alive?" Graham asks.  
"I'm half Qetesh," I say.  
"Which means what?"  
"You won't like the answer I give you. Qetesh are soul stealers, which is how I know that thing is alive."

When we reach the water, Epzo and Angstrom are arguing about the boat, and it doesn't even work. Graham said he and Ryan will take a look as long as we all gain safe passage. Epzo refuses, and I feel rage flowing through my blood. That boat is the only way to get to the TARDIS. The Doctor grabs me, pulling me away from the edge as Ryan and Graham enter the boat, "Careful! Now…" She scans the water. "Flesh-eating microbes, millions of them, inhabit the water. Toxic atmosphere, killer water. Thank goodness you didn't fall in." I'm still clutching the fabric, and I use my sonic before transferring it to the scanner I made before leaving Earth. Maybe I should have used the scanner instead of the sonic.  
"My scanner isn't picking up any readings from the fabric. I hope my sense of smell isn't going." I let the fabric fall into the water, and it drifts to shore. "Not even the water is doing anything to it. Maybe I was wrong." As soon as the engine starts, we make our way across the water. I tune out to the conversation, and my stomach begins cramping up. Mum warned me about this before I left.

"_Emma, it is important that I tell you this. When you're with the Doctor, your stomach will likely emerge. It will start as a stomach cramp, but it will burst out of your body. You will feel tired afterwards, so take as much rest as you can. If you don't, innocent people can die. Promise me that you'll do as I say."  
"I promise, Mum." _

"Doctor? I think-" I can't finish my sentence as my stomach bursts out of my body. I hear Epzo swear. Graham asks me if I'm okay as the darkness closes above me. I don't wake when it's time to leave, but, according to the Doctor, I turned into a fox, so she ended up carrying me most of the way through the ruins. I don't wake until we arrive at a room used for target practice.

"No. Guns, never use them," the Doctor says. Ryan argues that the androids are firing at us, so he's fighting back, leaving the relative safety of the room. "Enjoyed your nap?"  
"I'm still tired," I say.  
"Me too," Graham says. "How can I understand Emma when she's in a different form?"  
"Universal translator," the Doctor says.  
"That explains it." Ryan jumps back in, and the humanoids hide behind the pillars. I make it a game for the Sniperbots by jumping, dancing, keeping them distracted- and they shoot at me, obviously, but they keep missing. The Doctor deactivates the robots for a while  
"That was fun."  
"Emma, you're hurt!" While I was busy distracting the robots, I didn't realise that one of them hit me. "Don't worry, I'll take care of you." She pulls a blanket out of her coat. I'm about to turn into my humanoid form, but she tells me not to. "I'll carry you easier when you are a fox." She bandages me up and tells me to get some sleep.

When I wake, I'm back in my human form, sleeping on the ground. Yaz explains that we're in a set of tunnels under the ruins. The Stenza used the planet as a laboratory. "We need to get out of here!" The Doctor yells. "Everybody move fast!" I change into my demon-like form, and we take off down the corridor. Soon, the Sniperbots shut down the life support system. I fly up the ladder, emerging into Acetylene Fields. Upon reaching the surface, Ryan stops us. The ground moves.

"Finally, a big feast of lives," a distorted voice says.  
"Nobody move!" The Doctor says. Epzo says we shouldn't let them touch us as they would strangle us to death.  
"Yes, squeeze the life from you all."  
"The talk is to distract you. That's how they were designed in that laboratory."  
"You can't save them. We smell your-" the fabric things drop to the ground as I feed on their consciousness, but they quickly spring to life again.  
"DOWN!" I roar, and we all drop. I breathe into the air, and sparks fly from my mouth, igniting the fabric.  
"Acetylene," the Doctor smiles. "Lighter than air, smells like garlic and ignites easily. Well done, Emma. We better move."

By dawn, we reach a white tent. Angstrom and Epzo argue about who should win. Epzo caused us nothing but trouble, whereas Angstrom helped us navigate through the planet. I collapse to the ground, so Graham says he'll wait with me outside. The others head in. Soon, Graham and I stand and wander into the tent. Angstrom tells the man to let us go with Epzo and her, but he says no. The tent disappears. I return to my humanoid form. The Doctor seems to have given up, even though we're willing to wait. "No, only Emma will survive after one full rotation, but not much after that. See her engagement ring?" Everyone nods. "That controls Emma's hunger while I'm alive just enough so she doesn't have to kill humans. When she hasn't been wearing it, she's been exercising her own self-control. However, once I'm dead, nothing is stopping Emma from killing you."  
"But you won't die," I say, "because I've got a key." I pull out the TARDIS key from under my clothes, and the TARDIS arrives. We all walk in, amazed.

"You've decorated," the Doctor says, smiling. It's the same as the first time this regeneration of the Doctor allowed me to see the interior. I can hear the TARDIS welcoming me home, and I can't help but smile. The TARDIS always felt like a second home to me. "I really like it."  
"I love it," I say. We turn to our human friends.  
"This is my TARDIS."  
"Wow," Yaz says. "How did you do it?"  
"I didn't do it, I stole it, or it stole me. It depends on who you ask. However, if you're asking how my people did it, then it's through dimensional engineering."  
"You can't engineer dimensions!" Ryan exclaims.  
"Maybe YOU can't."  
"Can I press any of…?"  
"No."

"It's a spaceship?" Graham asks.  
"And a time ship," I add.  
"Get out," Ryan says.  
"My fiancée's telling the truth. Home, then?"  
"You can get us there?" Yaz asks.  
"Start believing." The Doctor begins piloting the TARDIS to take us to Sheffield.

"This might take a while," I say. "I'm off to explore."  
"Take care," the Doctor calls after me before I leave the console room.


	8. Rosa

After thirteen attempts to get to Sheffield, we land in Montgomery, Alabama, 1955. I chuckle, realising that the Doctor can't control the TARDIS and sometimes can't even fly it. "1955?" Graham asks. "Elvis, can we see Elvis?"  
"I think he's in New York this week," the Doctor says. "I can give him a call."  
"You haven't got Elvis' phone number." The Doctor makes us promise not to tell anyone that she lent Elvis a mobile phone. The TARDIS begins beeping, alerting us that it's picking up artron energy. We have to investigate. The Doctor says that history is delicate and we should stick together.  
"Before we go, shouldn't we-"  
"No time, Emma!" The Doctor says. "It could be dangerous. Come on, get a shift on." We head out onto the street.

"Real-life 1950s," Yaz smiles. "Time travel's awesome!" Ryan notices a woman drop her glove and politely tries to give it back, only for the man to slap Ryan around the face. HOW DARE HE DO THAT! I feel my cells begin to move, and I focus on staying in control. They still have the death penalty in Montgomery, and I don't want to find myself hanging from a rope. Nevertheless, we run to Ryan's aid.

"Get your filthy black hands off my wife."  
"Don't you dare insult my friend!" I growl. "He's done nothing wrong," Graham says that Ryan is his grandson.  
"I don't know how it goes where you folks are from, but your boy, he'll be swinging from a tree with a noose for a neckerchief if he ever touches a white woman in Montgomery."  
"What did you just say, you moron?" I demand, but a woman holds me back.

"Is there a problem here, Mr Steele?" She turns to us. "Step away now. Go ahead, step away." We move away.  
"These friends of yours?"  
"No, sir. Just on my lunch break. Wondering if I can help out with any misunderstanding. Oh, I believe your suit will be ready tomorrow. The alterations are going to make it look just right, sir."  
"Come on, Lizzie. We're going." As the couple walk off, the woman turns back to us.

"Are you crazy?"  
"He slapped me!" Ryan argues.  
"Don't you read the newspapers? You know what they did to young Emmett Till."  
"We're from out of town," the Doctor explains, trying to calm me down. Now I have to deal with racism first-hand, I realise that even in modern-day, there's still a long way to go.  
"So was Emmett Till, on vacation from the north. A couple of words to a white woman in Mississippi, and the next thing, they find his body in the river." She looks at Ryan. "Do you want that to be you?"  
"No."  
"Did your mother raise you with no manners? I will take a 'no ma'am'."  
"No, ma'am."

"Thanks for stepping in," I say as I've calmed down. "We're very grateful, Miss…?"  
"Mrs Parks, Rosa Parks."  
"No way!"  
"You're kidding!" Graham says.  
"Brilliant!" The Doctor exclaims. Rosa looks confused by our reactions, and I don't blame her. "Rosa Parks! Lovely to meet you, Rosa Parks. Big fan."  
"Excuse me?"  
"Big fan… of Montgomery. We are just visiting. Recommend anything for tourists like us?"  
"I recommend you get yourselves the hell out of Alabama before you find yourselves in trouble you can't get out of." As Rosa Parks walks away, I scan her.  
"Uh-oh, traces of artron energy around her. Why?" We go to find somewhere to eat and talk it through.

"We were in Rosa Parks class in primary. Do you remember?" Yaz asks Ryan. "All the Year 4, 5 and 6 classes were named after inspirational people."  
"She's the bus woman, right?"  
"Do you remember what she did?"  
"Yeah, first black woman to drive a bus." We groan, and Graham says that Grace would've had a fit if she were here.  
"She refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus to a white passenger, which begins the bus boycotts," I say.  
"Or will start," the Doctor points at the date of the newspaper. 30th November 1955. Rosa Parks gets arrested tomorrow. I notice that people begin looking at us, whispering, and the room falls deadly silent. A waitress walks over to us.  
"We don't serve negros." I want to shout, scream, probably bite someone's head off. "Or Mexicans."  
"Is she talking to me?" Yaz asks, annoyed.  
"You'll need to eat somewhere else." Involuntarily, my hands clench into fists.  
"Come on," the Doctor says, leading us out. I want to turn and punch that woman in the face, but I don't. We find where the epicentre of the artron energy is and follow the Doctor. Arriving at the bus company, I use my sonic to unlock a room to find it empty. Swapping back to my scanner, I locate a perception filter, removing it to reveal a suitcase.

The Doctor kneels down to open it. "Is anyone excited? Cos I'm really excited."  
"You wouldn't be if it's a bomb," Graham says. I tell him not to kill the vibe. Inside the suitcase is an information brick, multi-intercept and surveillance device, none of it from the '50s. I hear a stomach growl coming from behind us. A weapon fires at us.

"RUN!" The Doctor yells. We leg it outside. The wind blows into my eyes. It will help the Qetesh catch us. All it will have to do is follow our scent. Maybe I can buy us some more time. "In here," we hide from whoever tried to attack us. The Doctor goes to talk to them.

A hand covers my mouth. I try to scream, but the sound dies in my mouth. "Let her go!" Yaz yells, struggling to get my attacker off me. Ryan and Graham try to help but to no avail. I elbow the figure in the stomach, but they don't budge. The Qetesh has me, meaning that there must be more than one person doing this. The man tells the Doctor and her friends to leave Montgomery, or the Qetesh will eat me. The hand moves away from my mouth.  
"Just so you know, I have experience of blowing Qetesh stomachs up- and getting out alive."  
"She's lying," the man says. "The kid has no experience."  
"I'm eighteen!" My potential killer releases me.  
"I thought we had an agreement. You could kill a human in return for you working for me. Each time we succeed, that's another human dead."  
"Maybe I don't want to kill this one, Krasko." Krasko looks annoyed at the woman's response.

Hang on…

I turn as the woman takes her mask off. "Maybe you don't know me too well. I've been on this planet since the 1530s, watched humanity grow and evolve. Sure, there was a time I would have liked to kill humans, but that was a long time ago. Well, except for the odd occasion when my fiancée lets me."  
"That Smith woman tamed you. You are as dumb as she is."  
"DON'T YOU DARE DISRESPECT MY MOTHERS!" I reach into my pocket, pulling out my stomach. Krasko laughs, saying I don't have the nerves to do it. "You wanna bet?"  
"Emma, no," Mum says. "Don't give him the excuse." I roll my eyes.  
"Emma, Ruby, go back to the TARDIS," the Doctor says. "You'll both be able to hunt there. We'll tell you what happened when we get back."

We go to the hunting range, and I find Mummy waiting for us. "Mummy?" I ask. "What are you doing here?"  
"Mr Smith teleported here. I didn't want to be without you, Ruby." My parents embrace. "I talked to the Doctor, and she told me to hide in the hunting range." I chuckle. "I want to stay on the TARDIS, if you will stay, Ruby."  
"I think I will. Besides, I don't think we should let Emma and the Doctor be alone again."  
"MUM!"

When I finally see the Doctor, it's all over. History continues as normal. Rosa was arrested on the 1st of December 1955. Even now, her fight for equality is changing the universe.


	9. Arachnids in the UK

"Nearly there," the Doctor calls as she flies the TARDIS dangerously through the time vortex.  
"Are you sure you've got this under control?" Graham asks.  
"You're asking that to a person who chucked he manual into a black hole because they didn't agree with it!" I say.  
"Totally. Ignore Emma, although I did chuck the manual out."  
"Told you!"  
"These are new systems; I'm running them in." Soon, we land in 2018, Sheffield.

"We're home!" Yaz says. "We're actually home."  
"Yes. Result! See? I told you I'd do it." We all step outside when I smell massive spiders. I'm not a fan of spiders so that it will be a stressful visit.  
"We're at Park Hill," Ryan says, and Yaz points out her flat. The Doctor says it's only been half an hour since we left the warehouse. I shift from foot to foot, wondering how I can bring this up. Yaz invites us all to tea at her place.  
"If you don't mind, I'd rather not," I say. "I'm picking up giant spiders in that block of flats. I'd rather not run into them."  
"It's alright, Emma. Another time?"  
"Definitely." Mum agrees. As Mummy wants to spend some time with Mum, the Doctor allows the three of us to stay in the TARDIS.

Once that whole business is over, the Doctor suggests going back to Bannerman Road so we can get the rest of my family. After all, Article 0 is due to come in. I would've liked to fight it, but it's too late.

When we get back home, we gather my friends and family together so we can go in the TARDIS. That's when things began to get weird.

"Doctor?" I ask. "Where are we going?" The Doctor doesn't respond.  
"Doc? Emma's trying to talk to you."  
"Who's Emma?"  
"Doctor, don't do this," I whisper. "Don't you remember who I am?" The Doctor turns to me.  
"I've never seen you before in my life."  
"You can stop this now; it's freaking me out."  
"No, it's you who's freaking me out."

"Doctor, what's going on?" Jessie demands.  
"She doesn't know who Mummy is," Alistair realises. "Mr Smith says this sometimes happens if one of them feels strained by the relationship. I think the Doctor feels strained by it."  
"Why are you wearing my ring?" The Doctor demands. "Give it back." I hand it back to her. The Doctor blinks. I hope she recognises me.

"Listen, Emma; I'm sorry I didn't recognise you. This engagement is getting stressful. It could be best if we go our separate ways." I nod, thinking about it. "I can give you a TARDIS if you want to continue travelling."  
"Thank you, Doctor. I will like that." The Doctor nods, taking us to Gallifrey so that she can get me a TARDIS.  
"You ready to do this?" I nod, smiling.  
"We want to come with you," Luke says as he, Clyde, Rani and Maria step forward. "At least until you get some new companions."  
"Sure, come on in." I allow Luke, Maria, Clyde and Rani to enter and I begin piloting the TARDIS with ease.

**A/N:  
**Hi everyone. Thank you for reading my fanfiction.

However, Emma's story isn't over yet, even though her relationship with the Doctor is. Under 'The Sarah Jane Adventures', I will be writing Emma's SIX which continues her story. Thank you for taking the time to read my story and I hope you enjoy the rest of the story to come.


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